Association of lumbar artery narrowing, degenerative changes in disc and endplate and apparent diffusion in disc on postcontrast enhancement of lumbar intervertebral disc.
OBJECTIVE
A decreased supply of nutrition to the intervertebral disc can lead to disc degeneration. Nutrient supply can be simulated in vivo by measuring gadolinium enhancement of the disc. We aimed to study the changes associated with disc degeneration that may have effect on the nutrition of the disc, i.e. lumbar artery narrowing, Modic changes, endplate defects, and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) in nucleus pulposus.


METHODS
Twenty male volunteers underwent a lumbar spine examination at 1.5 T for anatomical imaging, diffusion weighted imaging, magnetic resonance angiography, and for T1 relaxation time quantification of contrast enhancement of intervertebral disc.


RESULTS
Enhancement of the disc increased with degeneration. Disc space narrowing associated strongly with the enhancement (Pearson's correlation coefficient 0.46, P < 0.001). The enhancement rate in discs adjacent to Modic type 2 changes was 24%, adjacent to type 1/2 changes 58%, and 13% in the absence of Modic changes. Discs adjacent to endplate defects enhanced 32% compared to 10% of normal endplates. Lumbar artery narrowing or ADC in the disc were not associated with the enhancement.


CONCLUSIONS
Increased enhancement of a degenerated disc is associated mostly with disc space narrowing and with the presence of degenerative endplate changes and endplate defects.
Niinimäki
Jaakko
J
Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Oulu University Hospital, PO Box 50, 90029 Oulu, Finland. jaakko.niinimaki@oulu.fi
Korkiakoski
Arto
A
Parviainen
Outi
O
Haapea
Marianne
M
Kuisma
Mari
M
Ojala
Risto O
RO
Karppinen
Jaro
J
Korpelainen
Raija
R
Tervonen
Osmo
O
Nieminen
Miika T
MT
D000328:Adult; D003287:Contrast Media; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007403:Intervertebral Disc / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000473:pathology*; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000473:pathology*; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014711:Vertebral Artery / Q000473:pathology*
D003287:Contrast Media